If I had a dollar for every time I’ve cooked my Beefy Goulash recipe, I might have a little more money in my pocket! As my recipes go, this is the one that has some of my very favorite memories. This recipe reminds me of my grandmother who used to cook this often for midday lunches at her and my granddaddy’s house, and my daughter and her ZTA sorority sisters when I would cook this at Texas A&M for them. This is what she would ultimately request when she came home from college for her first night’s home cooked meal as well. Hereford beef and one pot meals go hand and hand in my Beefy Goulash. This meal is on the table at least twice per month on our ranch. It’s comfort food and something that makes everyone happy. This recipe will also be featured this fall at the State Fair of Texas in my demonstration at their Go Texan Pavilion.
As a mother who loves to cook, it’s inevitable that your kids will have their favorite meals. For each of my three daughters, their choices speak a lot to their personalities and styles. For Ilissa is was goulash, for Bethany it’s my brown sugared salmon and for Audrey it is straight out of the package soft tacos using Lawry’s Taco Seasoning mix. She asked me to share her favorite tacos on my blog, but I told her, this wasn’t my recipe! Their favorites are always served for special occasions and when they have been away from home for any period of time as a welcome back meal.
For the recipe I share with you today, it’s my oldest daughter, Illisa’s, favorite meal growing up. This easy, one pot meal was something I could throw together in a hurry and could double the recipe to have leftovers for lunch or the next night’s meal.
The addition of spicy tomatoes and cheese gives my goulash a southwestern flavor that our family loves. For those of you who are lactose intolerant or just not cheese lovers like my husband, you can most certainly leave the cheese out as I do for 1/3 of the pot. I simply scoop his portion out before adding the cheese.
Beefy Goulash is the perfect pot-luck, church or meal prep meal to make and freezes well too. We like to serve this with my
Italian Green Beans, a large, green salad and crusty French bread or rolls. With my garden veggies overflowing about now, I like to add in fresh yellow squash and zucchini in my green salad to give it extra flavor and punch.
Just last summer our Texas kiddos competed in the Certified Hereford Beef Grill Off Contest using our Beefy Goulash Recipe! Here are our sweet kids below!
I hope you’ll try The Ranch Kitchen’s Beefy Goulash for a meal soon. It is the perfect one pot meal that can feed a crowd or for just yourself or your family. I’ve used wheat pasta as well for my mom who is diabetic and the goulash turns out just as good.
Remember, no one said cooking had to be hard and this hearty meal with Hereford beef is delicious as well at nutritious!
Alise Nolan
The Ranch Kitchen
Beefy Goulash Recipe
Ingredients
• 2 pounds ground Certified Hereford Beef
• 1-10 ounce can rotel tomatoes with green chilis and cilantro
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4-6 cups water
• 2-3 cups elbow macaroni or bowtie pasta
• 1/4 cup sugar (optional)
• 1-12.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes or fresh cut into chunks
• 1 tsp. creole seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic salt or fresh minced garlic
• 1/2 to a whole green bell pepper or green chilis
• 1/4 pound velveeta cheese or fresh grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
1. Brown ground beef and onion in a non-stick pan.
2. Drain all leftover grease off meat.
3. Add tomatoes with liquid from both cans.
4. Add sugar, chili powder, garlic, water, noodles and all remaining spices.
5. Bring goulash to a boil and then down to a simmer and cover with a lid.
6. Cook goulash on low, stirring occasionally until noodles are tender.
7. Add cubed velveeta cheese or grated cheese the last 10 minutes of cooking.
For more great beef recipes, head over to
The Ranch Kitchen and follow along with Alise!